Transformational Subnature
A recent post on Free Association Design (F.A.D.) illuminated one collaborative project with myself and Brett Milligan from last year to investigate the potentials for vacant lands in Portland. While many of the urban areas are relatively built-out, especially in proximity to the central city, there are many parcels available with the potential to become viable . We aimed to investigate the nature and potential of these parcels within the city as a methodology for discussing use and purpose of vacant lands, end uses of said lands, and productive intervals in between.
See the project location in proximity to the downtown core (marked in red).
The history of the site has included some development (the last trace of which included a building on the southern portion that burned and was subsequently removed in 2001) making the site completed cleared of structures, but with remnants of crumbling pavements and other urban detritus that was left over or . The 2+ acres encompassing a connected set of 200′ square blocks, have been left fallow and would by some be considered a weedy vacant lot, which after a quick view through property records, shows the value of this combined parcel. The site however hasn’t had much activity in terms of development proposals for infill, even during the more robust economy in the early 2000s.
While potentially perceived as a lifeless urban void, a close reading of the site evolving into what F.A.D. calls a ‘renegade dynamic ecology’ with dynamic vegetation groups and patches of diverse habitat providing an island of diversity within in the urban ecological matrix. There is also a break in the street grid allowing for a continguous patch, also denoting a termination of the Central Eastside Industrial District (at 12th Avenue) and the adjacent land-use transforming into residential to the east. As part of his daily commute, Milligan has been photographing this landscape an intervals for a few seasons (see more documentation of the site here) and references the sites innate Subnature (see review here):
“Subnatures are primarily experienced as aspects of the seemingly subhuman conditions of contemporary urbanization and its subcultural peripheries…Subnatures are those forms of nature deemed primitive (mud and dankness), filthy (smoke, dust, and exhaust), fearsome (gas or debris), or uncontrollable (weeds, insects, and pigeons).” from Subnature: Architecture’s Other Environments, Gissen, 2009)
These subnatures are evident and evolving, not specifically natural or designed by occupying the middle ground. Consisting of pioneering species, the understory has completed closed in, with the exception of some areas where remnants of pavement and compacted gravel. While mowed periodically, there are also pockets that are harder to maintain in low areas or at the fenced marging that have sprouted with Ailanthus or other early successional tree species.
(a tapestry of microecologies – photographs by Brett Milligan – F.A.D.)
This parcel was identified for some interventions related to making visible this vegetative dynamic on the site and focusing attention towards this land as teeming with life and potential. Through the process of site visits and sketching some possible iterations of design, we settled upon a series of longitudinal bands which would not require full site coverage, provide a varied experience from viewers at different directions, and accentuate the natural topography of the site
(marking territoy – map overlay by Jason King)
The species Helianthus annuus ‘Lemon Queen’ was chosen for it’s hardiness and ease of germination in tough soils as well as allowing for tall growth and visibility of large seed heads to maximize impact.
After doing a fair amount of research and looking at available sources, we decided on this variety, and bulk ordered from the Oregon Wholesale Seed. The description from their website:
“Lemon Queen Sunflowers are tall growing, reaching heights between five and seven feet. They will develop 10” diameter blooms, are drought tolerant and require a lot of sun. Birds flock to these flowers as they provide a substantial amount of food for them. Sunflowers are good cut flowers. Planting should be done in the spring after the danger of frost is past.”
The amount of pure live seed was immense (enough to provide full coverage to the entire lot), both as a product of the inefficiency of hand-seeding and as a hedge against possible germination success (i.e. we really wanted these to work). Total application was for 6 lbs of seed (56,000 seeds per pound), applied in the bands via hand seeding withing a 3-4 wide area of each transect line.
The graphic below shows a representation of the proposed installation with banding of sunflowers bisecting the site. The bands would provide a dynamic visual massing, as well as use the natural heliotropic properties for additional daily and seasonal movement. The idea would be to augment, not obliterate the existing subnatural ecologies on site, but allow for a new focus on the site as a resource of possible productivity and beauty.
(photo montage by Brett Milligan – F.A.D.)
The tracery through the grasses is barely evident with multiple passes for seeding along these transects splitting the site in both directions. This also shows the relatively difficulty of seeding a site with a thick mat of existing vegetation that has been established for some time. While conditions were optimal for seeding, and our expectations were of some patchy germination, but the result of a visible growth of sunflowers was almost inevitable.
After a couple of weeks, with some periodic visits, we were expecting a start to see some growth. There were some signs (perhaps wishful thinking) of new greenery emerging within the bands, but these never grew into anything more robust than a wish for a single seed to grow. The wish never materialized and the results were less than inconclusive.
While disappointed in this failing of germination, the experiment was educational on many fronts: testing the efficacy for the existing ecology to accommodate disturbance, the experience of planning and implementing a guerrilla intervention in an urban void, and refinement of our method for future missions. If anything, we provided forage for many of the local bird species in the early spring, and I envision some of those seeds being sowed through dispersal throughout inner Southeast Portland.
While our visible impact was ephemeral and quickly erased, the experiential resonance was immense.
(photograph by Brett Milligan – F.A.D.)
